Welcome to Silverbell
by ladyinquisitor93
Summary: AU in which Cullen Rutherford finds himself in our world and not his own. He meets Lili Catanach, who takes him in and helps him adjust to a life in her world, teaching him everything from how to use a shower and a stove to running a cash register and using a computer. They become close, but will it become something more? Will Cullen find his way back home or choose to stay?
1. Chapter 1

Lili Catanach: a young woman of twenty three, pretty average- at least in her opinion, normal height and weight for someone her age, deep auburn hair, meadow green eyes, fair skin and freckles, who was born into a good family- though she never really knew her parents and was raised by her grandfather- and inherited her grandfather's bookstore cafe named, Silverbell, and his cottage upon his passing.

She was a hard worker, working twelve hour shifts five days a week, and ran Silverbell by herself. Her grandfather, Magnus, loved Silverbell so she did her best to make sure it stayed open. Being the only bookstore in town helped, too. She kept to herself though, for the most part, when she wasn't talking with customers and patrons. And she was fine with that, though she did have a few close friends that she had grown up with that helped to keep her grounded.

On the night that her life changed forever, it was just as normal and quiet as any other. Lili was just about ready to close up shop, having let the last customer out an hour ago, when a loud bang sounded in the alley behind Silverbell. Ardon was not a town known for its crime; it was a fairly peaceful northern European heritage community where everyone pretty much knew everyone. Lili figured it was just some stray cats getting into the trash again. When she grabbed her things, locked the doors, and started heading home, a flash of green light came from the alley and more loud banging echoed as the light flickered like a fire. Lili hurried to the alley, hoping there wasn't a fire, and found instead a strange man she had never seen before clad in medieval style armor consisting of greaves, bracers, chestplate, and pauldrons with thick fur.

"Are you alright?" she called out, trying to step through the mess she found in the alley. The man looked incredibly dazed, but otherwise fine. When she reached him, he started to slump forward a bit so she rushed to steady him and keep him on his feet. 'Shit, he's heavy..!' She steadied him and looked at him for a moment. "I live really close. Come on." She pulled an arm around her shoulders and slowly guided him through the alley and on towards her home without a second thought.

* * *

"Shit, come on... ah, there we go!"

It didn't take long for them to reach her house, even if it took longer that it would if Lili had gone by herself, and after fumbling with her keys for a moment or two Lili opened the door and led the strange man inside, setting him gently on the couch.

He was weary, hadn't said a word the whole way there, and made no protest as Lili helped him out of his armor. He lay back on the couch at her instruction as she hurried off to grab extra blankets for him. When she returned and covered him with the blankets, he reached up and grasped her hand before saying thank you.

Lili smiled and squeezed his hand gently. "Of course. Get some rest and we can talk in the morning, alright?" She set his hand over his chest and checked his forehead to make sure he didn't have a fever. When she looked down, the man had already passed out. "Sleep well, stranger."

Heading up the stairs, Lili went into her room and slid out of her clothes before hopping into the shower. As the warm water rushed over her skin, she wondered where the strange man had come from, why he'd be wearing armor, what happened to land him in her life. She had a feeling that he wouldn't be going anywhere for awhile. Feeling the pangs of sleep pulling at her from all directions, she quickly dried off and slipped into a fresh pair of panties and a camisole tank, brushed out her hair and threw it into a loosely braided bun before sliding under the blankets and laying back on her bed.

'This will be interesting.'

* * *

The sunlight peeked through the curtains, shining down on the strange man's face. He stirred from his slumber, finding he had a pounding headache but was otherwise unharmed. He sat up slowly, a delicious aroma reaching his nose. When he opened his eyes to look around, he found in front of him a strange young woman holding out a mug of hot liquid- the source of the aroma.

"Morning, sleepy head."

He looked up at the young woman, seeing she was about five foot four inch with a deep auburn hair color that was braided and pinned in a bun, meadow green eyes, fair skin and cute little freckles dotting her face across her cheeks and nose, wearing a pair of plaid fabric shorts and a short sleeved shirt.

"Don't worry, it's coffee."

Cautiously, he took the mug and tasted the liquid. He sat back, sighing with content when he realized that it was as delicious as it smelled.

"See?" The young woman smiled at him before going back to what looked like a kitchen to him. "Hungry?"

"Yes?"

"If you have to question it, then you probably are." She replied, her smile growing. "I'll make us some breakfast."

The man nodded, watching her move about the kitchen grabbing what she needed and stopping for the occasional sip of coffee. He looked around, seeing he was inside a cottage- a very well made one at that.

"So, do you remember what happened last night?"

The man stood, going over to the kitchen island. He shook his head. "I remember falling, but that's really it..."

"I found you out in the alley behind my bookstore. You were really disoriented, but you seem fine now. How are you feeling?"

"Bit of a headache."

"I have some Aleve if you'd like."

"Aleve?"

"Ya, you know, a little blue pill that helps the headaches go away?"

He shrugged, clueless.

The young woman smiled. "Go up the stairs to the room at the end of the hall. There's a medicine cabinet above the sink, the bottle is white with a big red cap. Press down and twist to open it, then take two of the blue pills." She gestured to the stairs.

The man followed her directions, finding his way to what looked like a washroom at the end of the hall. He saw a cabinet above the sink, a mirror built into the door, and within it he found the bottle she spoke of. Pressing down and twisting the cap, he tapped two blue pills into his hand, replaced the cap and returned the bottle to the cabinet before closing it and making his way back down to the kitchen.

"You find it?"

"Yes."

"It's better if you take them with something to drink."

"Do I just swallow them?"

The young woman nodded. "Mmhmm. Two of those puppies will last you all day. They also help relieve any other bodily aches or pain you may be feeling." She gestured to the table. "Go ahead and sit, I'll bring over your plate."

The man did what she instructed, taking a seat at the small table next to the window with his mug of coffee in hand.

The young woman brought over the plates, having made toast, scrambled eggs with cheese, and sausage. She went back for her coffee, then sat across from him. "So do you have a name?"

"Oh, right. Cullen Rutherford."

The young woman smiled. "Nice to meet you, Cullen Rutherford. My name is Lili Catanach."


	2. Chapter 2

"You're welcome to stay as long as you need, Cullen. Whatever happened, you seem to have a bit of amnesia." Lili said, looking up at him. 'Damn, he's as tall as Grandpa was.' After sharing breakfast with him, Lili was showing him around the cottage.

"I wouldn't wish to impose."

"Don't worry, you wouldn't be. I have the room and you need help. I'm happy to do what I can for you."

Cullen bowed his head. "Then I appreciate the offer and accept."

"Then you can use this room." Lili said, when they stopped in the hall. "There are some of my grandfather's old clothes in the dresser and in the closet, if you'd like to try them on. Otherwise, we can go shopping and get you a few changes of clothes."

"Was this..."

"Ya, it was my grandfather Magnus' old room. He passed away a couple years ago. I've left it alone for the most part, just cleaning as needed."

Cullen saw a sad smile on her lips. "You were close?"

Lili nodded. "My parents died in a boating accident when I was two, so Grandpa took me in and raised me."

"May I ask what happened?"

"He did it to himself, really, the stubborn fool." Lili chuckled, looking around the room fondly. "Grandpa was always working hard, sometimes too hard, and a few winters back he insisted on patching the room and doing some other repairs. He got really sick and just never got better." She sighed. "He was sick for almost a year before he passed."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He's not in any pain and he's in a better place. At least he gets to see Mom and Dad again." Lili pushed back from the doorframe and gestured to the room across the hall. "That's my room, by the way, if you ever need anything."

"Thank you, Lili. I really do appreciate your hospitality."

Lili smiled. 'Such a gentleman.' "If you need a shower, you're welcome to it. Just turn the knobs to adjust the temperature of the water and pull the button on the faucet to switch it to shower mode. I'll go grab some towels for you."

Cullen watched as she went downstairs and he turned to the same room he had found the blue pills in. He looked at the tub, seeing the knobs that she spoke of- one marked "Hot" and the other "Cold"- and the button.

"Oh, Cullen, by the way?" Lili came back up with a stack of towels and handed them to him. "I need to stop by to grab a few things from the bookstore. Will you be OK here by yourself?"

Cullen nodded.

"I should be back in an hour or so." She turned to go back downstairs, but stopped a moment. "Oh, if you do take a shower, the blue bottle is shampoo, the purple is conditioner, and the white one is body wash."

"Which do I use first?"

Not even thinking about how strange it was for him not to know that, Lili just smiled. "Blue first, then purple. White you can use in any order, but it's just for your body. Blue and purple are for you hair. Any other questions?"

Cullen shook his head.

"Are you sure you'll be OK while I'm out?"

Again, Cullen nodded and he watched Lili smiled and assured him she'd be back as quick as she could before hurrying down the stairs. He looked back at the tub, then down at the towels. 'Might as well try it out.'

* * *

Lili hurried down the street, hoping to make things as quick as she could and just hoping that Cullen would be alright.

"Lili, forget something at the bookstore?"

Lili looked up to see Iagan Salmond and his sister, Beitris. "Ya, last night was kinda interesting."

"Oh?"

"Ya, a friend from out of town showed up out of nowhere, so he's staying with me for awhile."

"You should bring him by Twin Willow sometime, introduce him to everyone." Beitris suggested.

"I think I will once he has a chance to get reoriented." Lili looked down at her watch. "I should get going, I promised I'd make this quick."

"See you later!" Iagan and Beitris called as their friend ran down the street to Silverbell.

* * *

Cullen stood helplessly as water sprayed everywhere. He didn't know what he had done wrong, but something must have broken and was soaking everything.

"Cullen, I'm back!"

"Uh, Lili?"

Lili heard a strange water sound and hurried up the stairs, laughing when she saw Cullen standing there trying to stop the water. "Here, let me."

Cullen stood back, watching as Lili grabbed the shower head- which was one of those fancy ones with the long hoses- and flipped the metal tab on the side before hanging it back up.

"Sorry..."

Lili smiled and looked at him. "It's alright." She looked around the bathroom. "It was due for a cleaning soon, you just helped me get a jump start on it." She grabbed one of the dry towels from where he had placed them on his bed and went about drying everything off. "Did you at least get a full shower?"

Cullen nodded. "I knocked that infernal things loose just as I was finishing." He sighed. "I really am sorry."

Lili stood and shook her head with a smile. "Don't be. Grandpa did the same thing his first time showering after I installed it." She took the towel and wrung it into the tub. "Besides, you didn't do any damage to the bathroom and you didn't hurt yourself, so that's good." She chuckled. "You should dry off yourself, though."

Cullen nodded, just grateful that he had managed to get a towel around his waist before Lili came to his aid. He didn't need to embarrass himself even further.

While Lili took the wet towels and rugs downstairs to the dryer, Cullen closed the door of his room and looked through the clothes left behind by her grandfather. From what he could tell, Magnus Catanach had good taste for an elderly man- very sensible clothes. He tried on a few things, found some that he liked, and when he was dressed he left the room and went downstairs to find Lili.

Down in the living room, Lili had just thrown in a new load of laundry- including Cullen's old clothes, which she had grabbed with the towels and rugs. When she heard the stairs creak ever so slightly, she looked up and smiled as Cullen came down dressed in one of her grandfather's favorite shirts- a dark red plaid button down shirt- and a pair of slacks.

"Not bad." She went over and reached up, fixing the collar. "They look good on you." She checked the fitting, seeing they were a little tight. "A bit tight though." She looked up at him. "How does it feel?"

"A bit constricting, but I can manage. I just worry about tearing them."

"Then we'll need to go shopping for clothes for you." Lili smiled. "Good thing I've got the day off then, huh?"

"Lili, I couldn't ask you-"

"You aren't asking me, though, I'm offering." Lili winked at him. "Besides, it'll be good for you because I get to show you around town, too."


	3. Chapter 3

"Welcome to Little River Boutique, how can I help you? Oh, Lili! How are you?"

Lili smiled. "Hey, Anna, I've been well. And yourself?"

"I'm great, Calum finally proposed!"

Cullen watched as the two woman squealed in delight and he smiled.

"About damn time! You guys have been dating since you were like, what, fifteen?"

"Mmhmm. You have to come to the wedding!"

"Of course I will, silly, when is it?"

"It's going to be this fall."

"Well, you'll have to give me all the details when you two finalize them."

"Of course." Anna looked up at the strange man with Lili. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh, this is Cullen. He's staying with me from out of town for awhile." Lili turned to Cullen. "Cullen, this is Anna soon to be Loudain."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. And congratulations on your engagement." Cullen bowed ever so slightly, bringing a smile to Anna's face.

"Such a gentleman." Looking to Lili, Anna added, "So, what can I do for you today?"

"Cullen needs new clothes. His were lost in transit and Grandpa's old clothes are a bit too tight on him, as you can see."

Anna looked him over. "I see that. Well, let's get your measurements and see what we can find for you."

It took Anna five minutes to take his measurements- finding he was forty-four and a half inches at the chest, sixteen and a half inches at his neck, arms, and thighs with an inseam of thirty-six inches, a thirty-five inch waist and sleeve, and forty-two inch hips. All of which surprised her and Lili both- they knew he was buff, but never would have thought him to be that buff.

Once his measurements were taken, Anna and Lili went about picking out some outfits for him to try in the right sizes before ushering him into one of the changing stalls.

* * *

"Where is he from?" Anna asked in a lowered voice as they waited.

"He's from England, but he has family in Scotland, too." Lili answered, not wanting to tell the truth. 'It's better for people to believe that he's just a foreigner than some stranger that appeared with a flash of green light.'

"He seems nice."

"He is."

The two women sat there patiently waiting until Cullen came out to show them each thing he tried on, earning approval from them both. While Cullen gathering everything up, having chosen to stay in one outfit rather than change back into Magnus' clothes, Lili went over to the underwear section and grabbed a few packs of boxers for Cullen now that she knew what his size was. When Cullen met her up at the checkout counter, Lili paid for all of his things- surprised that Anna gave her the employee discount.

"See you two around!" Anna called as they left, raising a hand to wave.

Lili smiled and waved back, then looked at her watch and realized what time it was before looking up at Cullen. "Are you hungry?"

Cullen nodded.

"Do you want a home cooked meal or do you want to go out and eat?"

"I couldn't ask you spend more money on me."

Lili chuckled. "Don't worry, it's not like I'm strapped for cash. My treat, OK?"

Cullen sighed, nodding. "Alright."

"Come on, we have a tavern in town that's amazing. Good food and good drinks."

* * *

"Sorcha! Ealar!"

"Lili! Good to see you, lass!"

Cullen watched as Lili greeted who he assumed were the owners of the tavern, a very traditional looking place called Twin Willow. 'This reminds me of...' Then realizing some things were still easily accessible in his memory he smiled.

"Cullen, this is Sorcha and Ealar Salmond. They own this place. Their kids, Iagan and Beitris work here, too, when they're not in school." Lili looked back at the Salmonds. "This is my friend, Cullen. He's staying with me while he's visiting from out of town."

"Welcome, lad. Any friend of Lili's is welcome here. Now, let's get you two a table!"

Cullen followed Lili and Sorcha as Sorcha led the way to an open table. He sat down across from Lili as she stuffed their shopping bags in the seat next to her.

"So, what do you think?"

"It's nice. Seems a bit familiar, like I've seen a similar place before."

"Did you remember something?"

"There are... bits and pieces... that come to me, but that's it at the moment."

"Well, don't feel like you're in a hurry or anything, just take your time. Everything will come back eventually."

Cullen knew she was right, but he felt helpless and even more so like he was a burden. Here was Lili, a stranger who found him and took him in no questions asked really. Here was Lili, a young woman living on her own and opening her home up to a man she doesn't know in the least bit, all because she wants to help him. He knew he would have to find a way to repay her, even if it were as simple as household chores.

"Here, Cullen."

Cullen looked down at the strange looking booklet Lili handed him, seeing a list of food and beverage items.

"If you want a recommendation, you should try the kedgeree. Samuel can make pretty much anything, though."

Cullen looked through the items, seeing that the language in this world was surprisingly the same as it was in his. 'Wait, where am I from..?' Shaking the thought from his mind, he noticed there was a particular dish called "Cullen skink" and he looked up at Lili.

"Oh, did you spot it?" Lili chuckled. "It's really good, it's a soup made with a type of fish called haddock, potatoes, and onions. I'm not a fan of onions, though, but Samuel makes sure the onions are cut small enough to where it doesn't bother me." She looked down at the menu, smiling. "Nice thing about this place, too, is that they use cuisine choices from all over northern Europe." She leaned forward and pointed out a few different things. "Like the kedgeree and Cullen skink are both Scottish, but the creamy salmon soup is from Finland, then there's the Sunday roast from England, and sauteed reindeer from Lapland- though that's technically Finnish too."

"There's a lot to choose from."

"Well, what are you feeling more like? Something hearty with meat? Something with fish? Soup?"

"Something hearty sounds good."

"OK, then I'd suggested doing the Sunday roast."

"Are you dears ready to order?"

Lili nodded, looking at Cullen. "Are you?"

Cullen sighed and nodded. "I think so."

"Let's do peach tea for me with kedgeree." Lili said, handing Sorcha the menu.

"Cullen?"

"I'll try the Sunday roast with peach tea as well, please."

Sorcha took his menu and smiled before heading off towards the kitchen.

Cullen looked at Lili. "So, tell me more about this town."

* * *

Lili and Cullen sat eating lunch and talking for an hour or so. Lili told him about Ardon, the different shops and places in town, and the people that lived there. When their meal was finished, they grabbed their things and started heading back to Lili's cottage.

"Lili, I must thank you."

"For what?"

"You don't know me, yet you've taken me in and given me food, shelter, clothes."

"You need help and I'm happy to do exactly that. Besides, you're not exactly from this world, are you?"

Cullen stopped when she said that. "How'd you-"

"Flashing green lights, a strange man in full armor appearing in the alley behind my bookstore? It's kind of hard to ignore the possibility. And judging by your reaction, I'm right." Lili smiled. "You don't have all of your memories and you're lost, stuck even, in a world you don't understand. So, let me help you get used to how things are here and help you remember what you've forgotten. At least until you can go back home."

Cullen sighed, a grateful smile growing. "I don't know what I'd do if you hadn't found me." He bowed. "You have my eternal gratitude, Lili Catanach, and I hope that I can repay you somehow."

Lili's smile grew and she chuckled. "I'm sure we can work something out." She gestured towards home. "Come on, let's get home."


	4. Chapter 4

As the days turned into weeks, Lili and Cullen were really beginning to get to know each other. Cullen would tell her what he could remember about who he was and where he was from, Lili started teaching him how to use electronics and when it came to a computer she couldn't help but laugh at his frustration- finding it beyond adorable. Cullen started helping out around the cottage, doing chores and repairs- most of which he knew already, but was learning things related to plumbing and such- while Lili tended to the bookstore.

Lili was beginning to like having someone else around in the old cottage again, realizing how lonely she had really been the last couple of years since her grandfather had passed. And she was glad to see that Cullen was starting to grow accustomed to things in her world, despite his obvious frustrations, and was willing to learn everything he needed to and could in order to survive in her world.

After almost three months, Cullen had settled in well enough and felt like he would be able to survive in this strange world bereft of magik that was so much more advanced than his. One thing he was glad to see was that this world had in common with his were the seasons. Having arrived in late spring, it was nearing the end of summer and settling into autumn.

One day while raking the leaves in the yard, Cullen stood in his boots, a pair of jeans, and light green flannel shirt. A cool breeze blew through Ardon, ruffling his hair and bringing a pleasant chill that felt good against his sweating and hot skin. He breathed in the crisp air and smiled, looking at the golden, red, and orange leaves scattered throughout the deep green leaves still clinging to the last bits of summer.

"Someone's been busy."

Cullen looked over as Lili came up and returned her smile. "I thought I'd get a headstart on the yard work."

Lili looked around, sighing but with a smile. "You really have been a huge help around here, Cullen. I can't thank you enough."

"You've given me food, clothing, and shelter. You took me in without a second thought. It's the least I could do to repay you."

Lili smiled at that. "Well, when you're finished, I was thinking we could go into the big city and hit up the mall. There's a really great store there where they have quality formal wear."

"Why would we need formal wear?"

Lili blushed, realizing that she hadn't actually asked him yet. "Well, I was hoping you'd come with me as my plus one to Anna and Calum's wedding."

Cullen chuckled, leaning forward on the rake with his arms crossed. "I see. And I assume that this formal wear would be intended for such an occasion?"

Lili nodded, her blush deepening. "Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed that you'd come with me."

"It's alright. I'd be happy to accompany you to this event."

Lili looked at him with bright eyes. "Really?"

Cullen had to smile at that. "Of course. I'm rather curious to see how similar or different your ceremonies are to those where I'm from." His smile grew when Lili beamed at him. "I'm nearly done here, we can leave within the hour if you'd like."

Lili nodded, very eagerly, and smiled. "Sure, that sounds good. Would you like any help?"

"Sure."

Lili smiled and ran inside to grab some glove and more trash bags. When she came out, she started shoving the leaves into the trash bags and carrying them over to the curb- thankful that it was trash day the following day. And with the two of them, they were able to finish with the yard work in just a half hour or so.

"There, that's the last of it."

Cullen stretched, then looked at Lili. "Perhaps a shower would prudent before we head out?"

Lili nodded. "Probably not a bad idea."

"Why don't you go ahead and take yours while I clean up out here?"

Lili looked at him, brow slightly furrowed. "Are you sure?"

Cullen chuckled and nodded. "Go ahead, Lili."

"Alright, if you're sure?" Lili sighed and gave in when Cullen practically shooed her off. "I'll try to be quick!"

Cullen watched as she hurried inside and chuckled, turning towards the equipment and gathering it all up to take back to the shed. He grabbed the broom and swept free the remainder of the leaves from the porch and the walkway before returning it to the shed and heading inside. He could hear the shower running upstairs, so he grabbed a fresh towel from the linen closet before heading upstairs to his room.

As Cullen was changing out of his dirty clothes, Lili was finishing up her shower and hoped that she hadn't used all of the hot water. She stepped out and wrapped her towel around herself, squeezing the excess water from her hair before stepping out of the tub. As she opened the door, she found Cullen opening his bedroom door- standing there in nothing but his towel.

"It's all yours." Lili said, trying to ignore her blushing as she ducked into her room.

Cullen was blushing himself, neither of them usually catching the other in nothing but a towel. He tried to shake it away as he stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He restarted the shower, grateful that there was still hot water, and set his towel on the hook before stepping into the flowing water. As he stood there in the shower, letting the hot water rush over his body, he thought over everything that he had been through since coming into Lili's world.

He had regained some of his memories, but not all of them- which made it a bit difficult to adjust to how life was in this world. But Lili was there every step of the way, helping him adjust to the technology, the way of life in Ardon, and helping him cope with being so far from home. She gave him shelter, food, and clothing. She had basically saved his life, finding him in the alley behind the bookstore. If she hadn't, he would have been lost and alone, trapped in a strange world. He was so grateful that he was found by her, but he also felt so guilty for just falling into her life like that and that's why he tried so hard to repay her kindness.

In her room, Lili was brushing out her hair as she checked the forecast for the remainder of the day. "Hmmm, looks like there's going to be some overcast later, possible showers." She sat there in just her camisole and a pair of panties as she tried to detangle her hair.

In his room, Cullen was drying off after a quick shower. His thoughts remained on Lili and he couldn't help but smile when they turned to just earlier when she was so eager to bring him along to get formal wear. He thought it was adorable that she was so excited about it that she had asked him to come along with her more or less in her head and not aloud.

'Also goes to show how nervous she must be.' he noted as he pulled his shirt on.

He had never really been the kind of man who did well in situations like that, though. Give him a farm to work or soldiers to train and put a sword and shield in his hands and sure, he was fine. Parties just weren't really his thing, yet even so, he found that he was growing more and more excited himself at the thought of going with Lili to this wedding. It wasn't just to see how similar the ceremonies were to his customs, but he really wanted to see her in a fancy dress for some reason.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he finished dressing and went across the hall to knock on Lili's door.

Lili had managed to detangle her hair and braided it before slipping into a pair of leggings, knee high boots, a soft white long sleeve shirt, and a gray cardigan tunic sweater. When the knock came at her door, she was just finishing up and called out to Cullen to give her a minute. When Cullen told her to take her time and meet him downstairs, she hurried to finish with her makeup- as simple as it was- before grabbing her phone and her purse and heading downstairs.

"You ready to go?"

Cullen nodded and stood from where he sat on the couch. "You look nice." He said with a smile.

Lili blushed a little and smiled in return. "Thanks, so do you." She replied, noting that he wore a simple pair of jeans, his usual boots, his old tunic, and her grandfather's old jacket- which thankfully fit him and did look really good on him.

"Where are you going?" Cullen asked, confused as she started heading to the side door.

"The garage."

"Garage?"

Lili grinned. "That's right, I forgot to show you the garage. Come on!"

Cullen followed after her and closed the garage door behind him as Lili opened the large door at the end of the room. "So this is what's in here."

Lili nodded, unlocking the car that sat inside. "Since the bookstore is so close to home and pretty much everything else in Ardon is within walking distance, I don't usually use the car. But for days like this when it's a trip out of town, this baby comes in handy." She explained as she tapped the side of her Subaru Forester. She gestured to the other side of the car. "Get in on the other side."

Cullen hesitantly did as instructed, having seen these things before out on the streets. They seemed like they were death contraptions to him, but Lili seemed to trust it and he trusted Lili.

"Make sure you buckle, alright?" Lili added, pointing the strap that he had on his side too as she clicked hers into place.

Cullen saw what she spoke of and pulled it forward and across his body, clicking it into the same thing that Lili had hers. "What is this?"

"It's called a seat belt. It keeps you from flying through the window or getting seriously hurt should you ever get into an accident." Lili explained as she looked in her rearview mirror and started backing out of the garage.

Cullen watched as she backed the car up, then reach up and press a little black box. He looked back at the garage as the large door started to close shut. "Your world never ceases to amaze me, Lili."

Lili grinned as she backed out into the street and turned the car. When she shifted to drive, she winked and said, "Just wait til you see what's outside of Ardon."


	5. Chapter 5

Cullen watched as the landscapes changed from Ardon to their destination. The drive took them an hour northeast from Ardon, through rolling hills and groves of oak, birch, and fir trees- some of the trees looking very similar to those that he knew from his world. He was also surprised that they were able to cover such a great distance in such a short time- which was nothing compared to the day or so that it would take to walk or go by horseback.

Lili had to smile seeing Cullen's reactions to being in a car for the first time. Knowing what she did of his world- from what he could remember at least- she wasn't too surprised and found it rather cute.

They crossed over a small river bridge, then turned a bit more towards the east before pulling into the parking lot of the Outlet Mall at Silver Oak Plaza.

"We're here."

Cullen waited a moment as Lili parked her car, then got out and stretched.

"So how was your first car ride?" Lili asked, smiling as she pulled the strap of her purse over her shoulder.

"I can't say that I would make a habit of it, but it was not nearly as awful as I thought it would be."

Lili chuckled and locked the car before coming around to his side of the car. "Glad to see I'm not a horrible driver, then."

Cullen offered her a smile as they fell in step with each other, making their way to the mall area. As they walked, he noticed that this "outlet mall" wasn't very different than the marketplaces or bazaars that he would have seen back in his world and it was similar to what Ardon hosted, but on a much larger scale and without any housing nearby. There was a decent assortment of shops and restaurants, stone walkways lined with trees going throughout the mall. And the weather was still fairly nice, though Cullen could tell there was a storm coming in.

"Alright, let's see..."

Cullen watched as Lili stopped in from of some sort of map looking thing, her finger lightly running along the names of all the businesses until she found the one she was looking for.

"Ah, there it is! We need to go this way." Lili said, gesturing towards their right a bit as she led the way to the formal wear shop. They walked a few minutes towards the back of the plaza before reaching their destination.

"Welcome to Selene's Boutique! My name is Cordelia, how can I help you today?"

"We're looking for wedding attire."

"As guests, or part of the bridal party?"

"Guests, please."

"Wonderful, right this way. Jack!"

Lili and Cullen followed Cordelia as she led them towards the more formal attire. When she stopped, she introduced Jack and sent him off with Cullen to get fitted before turning to Lili and asking what she was looking for.

"The wedding is coming up here soon, so I'd like something suited to fall. I was thinking something with either three-quarter length or long sleeves, knee length at the shortest."

"Is there a color preference?"

"Purple?"

"Any particular shade?"

Lili shook her head.

Cordelia smiled. "Very well, let's take a look at what we have."

* * *

An hour and a half and a dozen wardrobe changes _each_ later, Cullen and Lili met at the checkout counter with their outfits bagged and ready to go. Lili paid for everything, then they left with bags in hand and walked around a bit- stopping at a few other shops just to browse and sate Cullen's curiosity. After awhile, thunder sounded in the distance and they looked up to see the dark clouds starting to roll their way through the gray sky.

Lili suggested they get back on the road before the storm hit and they quickly made their way back to the car, loading everything up into the trunk.

"So, what'd you think?"

"It wasn't too different than what I'm used to in my world. Just... bigger and different styles."

"Outlet malls are probably the closest to what people in this world would have had a couple centuries or so ago. They're nicer than indoor malls, in my opinion."

"They have indoor malls?"

Lili chuckled and nodded. "Imagine that, but two to three times as many stores and in buildings that are two sometimes even three stories tall."

"Maker, that just seems like overkill."

"I would agree." Lili laughed. "That's why I like the outlet mall here- bigger than what we have in Ardon, but not so much so that it's overwhelming."

Cullen watched her for a moment, his smile growing.

"What?" Lili asked, noticing this.

"I enjoyed myself today, even with that man from the boutique flirting with me."

Lili laughed. "Ya, he's totally gay."

"'Gay'?"

"It's the term we use for people who are attracted to the same gender they are."

"Ah."

"What, do you not have that in your world?"

"We do, we just don't have terms like that. It's not unheard of, in fact one of the Inquisitor's closest companions prefers the company of men."

"This 'Inquisitor', you've mentioned them before."

"Niklas Trevelyan."

"Was he like your boss?"

Cullen thought a moment. "I suppose you could call him that."

"I hope you won't get into any trouble being stuck here." Lili said, her eyes glancing up at the sky as lightning streaked across.

"The war was won before I came here." Cullen said, the vague memories returning as each day passed.

"Do you remember enough about it?"

Cullen nodded. "There are bits and pieces still missing, but yes."

"Could you tell me about it?"

* * *

By the time the storm hit Ardon, Lili had just pulled into the garage. Cullen grabbed their bags from the trunk and they went inside- the garage door closing behind them- and offered to take their bags upstairs.

"I'll get started on some dinner, then." Lili replied and set her things down before heading to the kitchen. "Hmmm... let's see..."

While Lili gathered ingredients to make them a stew, Cullen was in the process of setting Lili's bag on her bed before going into his room and pulling the suit he had chosen from the bag and hung it on the closet door. He set the shoes on the chair next to the closet and smoothed out the storage bag protecting the suit from getting dusty or dirty. He wondered what Lili had picked out, but she had said it was going to be a surprise so he had to wait a couple weeks before seeing her in her new dress.

After a few minutes of getting everything situated, Cullen set his boots by the door and headed downstairs to the kitchen to ask if Lili needed help with anything.

"Sure, could you grab some more wood and light a fire?" She asked, pointing to the hearth.

Cullen nodded, going to the wood pile as Lili chopped the vegetables for the stew.

Lili set the vegetables into the boiling water, letting them cook a bit as she took out the pack of cubed beef chuck. She added the meat to the pot, then added in some seasoning and let the stew cook awhile before she needed to add in the heavy cream. She looked up as she washed her hands, watching Cullen stand as the fire began to burn. As she watched him, she started realizing that she didn't know what her life would be like anymore without Cullen in it.

Cullen looked over and asked if Lili wanted help with anything else. When she didn't answer, he went over to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright?"

"What? Oh, sorry, I must have spaced out for a moment there." Lili blushed and busied herself with drying her hands. "What did you say?"

"I was asking if you needed help with anything else."

"Um, I think I've got it until dinner is ready."

"Are you sure?"

Lili nodded. "Why don't you pick out a movie or something for us to watch?"

Cullen smiled and nodded, going over to the bookshelf filled with DVDs. Just a few weeks ago, Lili had introduced him to the wonders of moving pictures and Cullen was astounded at how much further along in technology her world was proving to be than his was. If anyone else from his world were to see these "movies" for the first time, he was sure that they too would think it some sort of strange magik.

Lili set about making them some tea while they waited on dinner, then went over to help Cullen with the DVD player. "'Princess Mononoke', huh?"

"I enjoyed the other one, what was it called?"

"'Howl's Moving Castle'?"

"Yes. It's a very well done story."

Lili smiled. "Oh, sweet Cullen, we're just getting started."


	6. Chapter 6

"I'm not quite sure that I understand."

Lili smiled, her knees tucked in as she lounged in her grandpa's favorite chair with a mug of hot chocolate in hand. "What part confused you?"

"The whole forest relies on the cycle of life and death that the Forest Spirit governs, correct?"

"Yes."

"So why would they kill it? Just for some random man of power who fears death?"

Lili's smile grew. "Pretty much." She looked back at the tv as the credits continued to scroll by. "Basically, the main theme of the story shows us that although humans and nature should respect each other, there exist differences that neither side will ever be able to overcome. This is apparent when you see San and Ashitaka interact. San, being raised by wolves and around spirits and gods, cannot forgive what the humans have done. Ashitaka understands this and accepts and supports her decision to remain in the forest, even though he wants her to come with him and be with the humans. They agree to maintain a friendship and see each other again even though they disagree with each other on certain points."

"But if Ashitaka is helping rebuild Iron Town, then there would be a greater chance that San could learn to forgive humans someday, right? It seems to me that it was the greed of that Eboshi woman that caused all of that mayhem and chaos. If Ashitaka oversaw everything as they rebuilt, even led the town instead of Eboshi, he could make sure that nothing like this ever happened again."

"A thought I had as well."

Cullen sat back and sighed, watching the very end of the credits disappear at the top of the screen as it went black. "Maker, your world is complicated."

Lili chuckled and sipped her hot chocolate. "Can't be any more complicated than yours."

"We have magik, you have science."

"Both are two sides of a single coin, if you think about it."

Cullen looked at her, curious. "How so?"

Lili sat up. "Many people in this world believe that at some point, magik existed, but now it no longer does. Why that is, no one knows. There are theories, though, and the desire for knowledge led to what we call science. Think about it this way: science is just the practical way of trying to recreate something magik does naturally."

"I suppose that makes sense."

Lili smiled, finishing her mug. "Personally, I would rather have magik than science, but that's just me."

Cullen watched her move to the kitchen. "I wouldn't be too sure about that. Magik can be incredibly dangerous."

"True, but it can also help people, too. The kind of magik I would want to learn if I could would be healing magik. Maybe if I knew healing magik I could have saved my grandfather when he fell ill."

Cullen followed her to the kitchen, going to the sink to rinse out his own mug. "Perhaps." He thought a moment. "Though, if your world's science could not save him, then do you really think that magik could have?"

Lili shrugged as she dried off her mug and set it back on the mug tree stand. "Maybe, maybe not. It's something to think about at the very least."

As she took his mug from him, Cullen looked through the window at the dark sky. "The storm won't be dying down any time soon."

Lili followed his gaze and sighed. "Good thing we got home when we did then, huh?"

"Yes, it is." Cullen looked back down at her. "Does your world get storms like this often?"

Lili shrugged as she set his mug on the mug tree. "Yes and no. Some countries get rain like this all the time, some don't get rain as often as they should or at all. Around here, though, this is pretty normal for spring and autumn." She listened to the rain pounding against the roof and smiled. "Personally, I love it when it rains. There's something incredibly calming about it. I also really love the smell of petrichor, that fresh earthy scent in the air after rainfall?"

"I agree that the scent is very pleasing." He raised a brow in confusion as she chuckled. "What?"

"I love the way you talk, that's all. It's so different than what I'm used, almost refreshingly so." She smiled up at him, reaching up to muss his hair before turning to check on the stew. "Ah, good, it's ready."

"I'll set the table."

* * *

After enjoying the hearty stew and listening to the rain, Lili and Cullen decided to watch another movie together- choosing The Cat Returns this time. But as the movie drew close to its halfway point, Cullen noticed that Lili had fallen asleep in her chair and he turned everything off before gently scooping her up into his arms to carry her upstairs. He set her in bed, pulling the covers up over her before he reached up to brush her hair out of her face. He smiled, his hand lingering a moment as he realized how much he admired her. He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. "Thank you, Lili. For everything you've done for me." he whispered before leaving her room to return to his.

Changing into some sleepwear, Cullen thought about how much Lili had come to mean to him in such a short time and found that he would be lost without her- even if he hadn't stumbled into her world. She had become a close friend, someone whom he could place his trust in. He was so grateful for everything she had done for him- without hesitation- and he hoped he was doing enough to repay for for that kindness.

As he lay back in bed, the sound of the rain soothing him closer to slumber, Cullen wondered what else the future held for them.


End file.
